


Family Fireworks

by Alisanne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-13
Updated: 2015-01-13
Packaged: 2018-03-07 10:47:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3171868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alisanne/pseuds/Alisanne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Unplanned family reunions can be awkward, but they can also be wonderful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Fireworks

**Author's Note:**

> **Challenge:** Written for the 2014 Mini_fest. Prompt: #47: Either Harry and/or someone close to him runs into the Dursleys after the war (while Christmas shopping in Oxford Street, or queuing for the Christmas Eve concert in King's College in Cambridge, or at a street party during Hogmanay in Edinburgh – you pick!). What happens? Fluff, angst or typical British awkwardness ensues.
> 
> **Disclaimer:** Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> **Notes:** Thanks to my beta readers, Sevfan and Emynn, and to the fest mods for their assistance. Thanks also to hiddenhibernian for the fun prompt!
> 
> I have no idea if fireworks are actually a part of the holiday celebrations on Oxford Street, but let’s pretend they are for the purposes of this story, yes? :)

~

Family Fireworks

~

Dudley’s just watched Sarah run off to go and look at the Oxford Street display windows when he sees it. A little girl, who can’t be more than seven or eight, holds out her hand and a glove launches itself off the ground and flies towards her. She catches it easily and, giggling, skips off towards the other end of Oxford. 

Before he knows what he’s doing, Dudley is murmuring to Rose, telling her he has an errand to run and making sure she’s watching their daughter. Once he knows Sarah is safe, he sets off after the girl. He grew up around Harry, and recalls Harry doing similar things too many times to not recognise magic when it’s performed right in front of him. 

He’s not sure what he’s planning to do or say if and when he catches the girl. Ask her parents to take a message to Harry perhaps? _Maybe just find out if he’s okay. And maybe see if he’ll help me. Help us._

The girl skips down an alley and Dudley follows as inconspicuously as possible, hoping no one will notice him. It’s getting dark and he starts to sweat, hoping he catches up with her soon. And that no one will get suspicious of his actions. Sadly, he’s out of luck. 

“Stop right there,” someone says, and a moment later something firm -- a gun, perhaps -- pokes Dudley in the centre of his back. He freezes. “Who are you? Why are you following my daughter?”

Dudley clears his throat. “I saw her do something...special and I just wanted to talk to her. See if she could help me find someone.” 

“What did you see her do? And who are you looking for?”

Dudley sighs. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” 

“Try me.” 

“She did magic.” Dudley closes his eyes and waits. 

“Is that so?” The pressure on his back eases. “You know about magic, then?” 

“I...yes. My cousin was...is a wizard. At least I think he’s still alive, no one ever told us if he made it or not, but he’s famous, so I thought the girl would recognise his name--” 

“Bloody hell. Dudley?” 

Dudley blinks, turning around. “Harry?” 

Harry, looking nothing like the scrawny kid Dudley recalls, slips something into his pocket before pinning Dudley with his gaze. “Wow, Dudders. You’re actually looking for me? Why?” 

Dudley shakes his head, hardly able to believe that it’s Harry, that he just ran into him casually. He’s so anxious to speak that he starts babbling. “I just wanted to be sure you made it. After those wizards brought us out of hiding they never said if you make it or not. They said there was a battle and rumour had it you’d died, and then they just left, and we never heard anything more--” 

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Okay. But what I don’t get is why you care?” 

“Daddy? Is it safe now?” 

Harry stoops down and a moment later the little girl runs to his arms and is scooped up. Harry settles her on his hip with the ease born of long practice. “Yes, baby,” he says. “It’s safe. This is actually my cousin.” 

“Oh.” The little girl eyes Dudley. She’s striking, with large green eyes and pale blonde hair. She’s almost as pretty as his Sarah, who Dudley considers the prettiest girl in the world. “Hello,” she says.

“Hello,” says Dudley, charmed. “I’m Dudley.” 

“I’m Lily Ginny.” Lily points to someone behind Dudley. “Ooh, there’s Mummy.” 

Dudley turns in time to see a woman leading two boys by the hand. The boys are probably ten and nine, and they, like Harry, have dark hair, but they both appear to have inherited their mother’s blue eyes. The woman is blonde, with an otherworldly feeling about her. 

“Hello,” says the woman. She tilts her head, her eyes piercing him, and Dudley gets the impression that she’s weighing his soul. “I’m Luna.” Looking down the boys, she says, “Come along, boys. Say hello to Daddy’s cousin, Dudley.”

“Hello, I’m James,” says the older of the two boys, stepping forward. 

“And I’m Albus.” He doesn’t let go of this mother’s hand. Instead, he eyes Dudley warily. 

Dudley smiles. “It’s nice to meet you Albus, James, Luna.” He turns to face Harry and Lily once more. “And of course you, Lily Ginny.” 

Lily giggles. “Are you going to watch the fireworks with us?” she asks. “Daddy says it’s a family thing, and you’re family, right?”

Dudley glances at Harry, whose expression gives nothing away. “Maybe I will,” he finally says. “That depends on your dad, I think.” Dudley coughs. “My family will be there, too, though.”

“Your parents are here?” Harry stiffens. 

“No,” says Dudley. “Just my wife Rose and my daughter Sarah.” He looks at Lily. “She’s about your age and she loves fireworks, too.” 

“You have a family of your own now?” Harry’s tense posture relaxes. 

“Yeah.” Dudley shrugs. “Seemed like the thing to do. I have you to thank for meeting my Rose, actually.” 

“How so?”

“She lived two houses down from ours in the neighbourhood where the wizards hid us during the war.” Dudley smiles. “Maybe it was the danger, or maybe it was just the right time and place, but we hit it off and kept in touch, even after we moved again. We wrote letters for a while then ended up going to uni together. We got married ten years ago.” 

Harry nods. “Congratulations.” 

Dudley nods back. “Thanks.” 

There is an awkward silence and then Harry, kissing the top of Lily’s head, sets her down. “Tell you what, baby,” he says, shooting an indecipherable look at Dudley. “Why don’t you four go on and get a good spot where we can all watch the fireworks, and Dudley and I will talk about things here.”

“Okay.” Lily skis over to Luna. “C’mon, Mummy!” 

Luna steers them away, and as she passes Harry and Dudley she murmurs, “It’s nice to meet you, Dudley.” She shares a look with Harry and then is gone. 

Harry sighs once Luna is out of earshot. “I’m not going to lie, I have wondered what I’d do if I ever ran into you or your parents again.” He laughs mirthlessly. “I had all sorts of scenarios in his head; things I’d say, apologies I’d demand--” He shakes his head. 

Dudley nods. “You’d be within your rights to tell me to stay away from you,” he says. “All I wanted to do was see you and say thanks. From what the wizards who hid us said, if you hadn’t done whatever it was you did, we’d probably be dead.” He exhales. “And I wouldn’t have my Rosie or my Sarah.” 

Extending his hand, he offers it to Harry. “So...thanks.” 

Slowly, Harry smiles. “You’ve changed,” he says, grasping Dudley’s hand and shaking it firmly. “And...you’re welcome.” 

There’s a brief moment when it seems they may pull each other closer for a hug, but then it passes. They release each other’s hands looking away awkwardly. 

Finally, Dudley coughs. “I should get back to my girls, they’ll be wondering where I am--” 

Harry nods. “Of course.” He hesitates. “You’re welcome to join us to watch the fireworks if you like,” he says. “Lily’s right, the holidays are a time for families to be together.”

Dudley grins. “We’d love to,” he says. 

“How are your parents, anyway?” asks Harry as they walk out of the alley and onto crowded Oxford Street.

Dudley shrugs. “Dad died a few years back, heart attack. Mum’s...mellowed.” He glances at Harry. “She actually mentions you on occasion. I think she’d like to meet your family.” 

Harry blinks. “Yeah, I’m not sure if I’m quite ready for that yet,” he says. 

Dudley nods. He can’t really blame him. “Understandable. Although never say never--” 

Sarah has spotted him and runs toward him, Rose following more sedately. Dudley catches Sarah, hoisting her up into his arms. “Hello, Daddy!” she says, her arms going around his neck. 

Dudley kisses her. “Hello, baby.” He nods towards Harry, who is watching them, a bemused look on his face. “This is my cousin, Harry.”

Rose gasps. “Oh, you actually found him!” Smiling, she pushes forward, offering her hand to Harry. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. Dudley has said a lot about you.” 

Harry raises an eyebrow. “I shudder to think.” 

“Oh no.” Rose grins. “It’s all been good.” 

“Daddy!” Lily is waving at Harry. “We found a spot.” She pauses, looks up at Sarah, who looks back at her. Dudley can almost see the connection form between them. 

Harry, it seems, can, too. “Lily, this is your second cousin Sarah. Why don’t you take her with you and show her the spot you picked to watch the fireworks?” He glances at Dudley. “If that’s okay with you?”

Dudley grins. “Absolutely.” 

As the three adults watch, the girls skip off towards where Luna is standing with Harry’s sons. Dudley clasps Rose’s hand. Harry moves ahead of them, following Lily, and within moments is out of earshot. 

“I do hope Sarah doesn’t do anything too...odd today,” Rose whispers. “I know you’ve been anxious to find your cousin, and I don’t want anything to make him not want to associate with us.”

Dudley smiles, vowing to tell her the truth about Harry and magic once he has her alone, now that it seems he can count Harry as family once again. “Oh,” he says lightly. “I wouldn’t worry about that too much. Something tells me everything will be fine.” 

~


End file.
